IT WAS THE TALK OF THE SPORTS WORLD LAST YEAR WHEN LITTLE ELM’S R J HAMPTON CHOSE TO BYPASS HIS SENIOR YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL AND PLAY PROFESSIONALLY IN NEW ZEALAND. NOW THAT HE’S BACK IN NORTH TEXAS PREPARING FOR THE NBA, IT’S A DECISION HE STANDS BEHIND.
HAMPTON SIGNED WITH THE NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS IN MARCH WITH AN OPTION TO LEAVE WHEN HE FELT READY TO ENTER THE NBA DRAFT. AFTER 15 GAMES WITH THE TEAM, HAMPTON DECIDED TO USE THAT OPTION AND START WORKING WITH PROFESSIONAL TRAINER, TYLER RELPH (RALPH), TO GET READY FOR THE DRAFT IN LATE JUNE. WHILE WITH THE BREAKERS, HAMPTON AVERAGED ALMOST 9 POINTS A GAME, 4 BOARDS AND 2.4 ASSISTS. NOT GAUDY NUMBERS, BUT CONSIDERING HE PLAYED LESS THEN 20 MINUTES A GAME, AWAY FROM HOME AND WITH GROWN MEN, R. J. FEELS IT WAS A WORTHWHILE EXPERIENCE
NOW HE’S REALLY PUTTING THE WORK IN. NOT ONLY IS HE WORKING OUT WITH RELPH SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK, BUT HE’S LOOKING OVER GAME FILM OF CURRENT NBA STARS TO PICK UP SOME MOVES. RELPH, WHO HAS ALSO WORKED WITH JULIUS RANDLE AND C J MILES, KNOWS HAMPTON JUST NEEDS TO WORK ON HIS TECHNIQUE AND GAIN EXPERIENCE AND HE COULD BE A SOLID PRO.
IF YOU LOOK AT ANY MOCK DRAFT, YOU’LL SEE R J IN THE FIRST ROUND AND MOST HAVE THEM AS A LOTTERY PICK. BUT ONE THING IS FOR SURE, EVEN THOUGH PORTLAND MAY NOT SELECT HIM, R J BECAME A TRAIL BLAZER WHEN HE SKIPPED HIS SENIOR YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL TO PLAY OVERSEAS.